• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Dianne's Vegan Kitchen
  • Home
  • Meet Dianne
  • Health Coaching
  • Cooking Classes
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Contact Me
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Meet Dianne
  • Health Coaching
  • Cooking Classes
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Vegan Recipes

    Vegan Disco Fries

    Published: Jan 24, 2021 · Modified: May 12, 2023 by Dianne · This post may contain affiliate links

    • Share
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    Vegan Disco Fries with text overlay
    Vegan Disco Fries with text overlay
    Vegan Disco Fries with text overlay

    Vegan Disco Fries — baked potato wedges drizzled with cashew cheese sauce and mushroom gravy — are the ultimate late night snack. They're also make for a delicious side dish. This easy recipe is vegan with a gluten-free option.

    Vegan Disco Fries with text overlay

    Disco Fries

    A few years ago, I participated in VeganMoFo, posting food photos on Instagram to correspond with each daily prompt. One of the suggestions was to post a dish that’s close to home, something from your own country, state, or hometown. New Jersey is the land of the diner, and one of the states most beloved diner dishes is disco fries. So I made vegan disco fries and I posted the photo. The photo was popular, but to my surprise, only my fellow New Jerseyians knew what it was. That makes sense, I guess, because I didn’t know what it was before I moved back to New Jersey as a teenager, either.

    fries with burger

    What are Disco Fries?

    Simply put, disco fries are French fries drenched in cheese and gravy. It’s said that they got their name because they were a favorite late-night meal of the disco crowd in the 70s. They’re similar to the Canadian poutine, but they’re made with melted cheese, rather than cheese curds. Disco fries became a favorite of mine during college. I’d work the evening shift at CVS, and after the store closed, my coworkers and I would walk across the street the Land and Sea diner and eat way too much greasy food, before heading home to do homework into the wee hours. (I have no idea how I survived the 90s on so much junk food and so little sleep.)

    Vegan Disco Fries with tomatoes, parsley, and forks

    Vegan Disco Fries

    Rather than hitting up the dinner, which I know isn't going to have many vegan options, I make a much healthier, vegan version of my beloved disco fries at home. Rather than greasy fried potatoes, I make oven baked fries. I top them with dairy-free cashew cheese, and mushroom gravy.

    close up of vegan disco fries with tomatoes, garlic, and fork

    Recipe Notes

    • If you'd like to make your fries even healthier, you can use my Veggie-Packed Vegan Cheese Sauce instead of Cashew Cheese.
    • To save time, you can use store-bought vegan gravy. I like Imagine Foods Wild Mushroom Gravy.
    • To make your fries gluten-free, use an all-purpose gluten-free flour in the gravy.
    • Fries with gravy are a big thing here in New Jersey, too, so if you're not feeling cheesy, you can skip the cheese sauce.
    potatoes, mushrooms, onion, garlic, cheese sauce, stock

    How to Make Vegan Disco Fries

    This recipe is really easy to make!

    • First you whisk together the oil, garlic granules, salt, and pepper and then toss the potatoes in the mixture.
    • You then lay the potato wedges out on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake them for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping them at the halfway point.
    • While the potatoes are baking, you make the gravy. First you cook the onion for about 5 minutes.
    • Then you add the garlic and mushrooms, and cook for another 5 minutes or so, until the mushrooms release their liquid.
    • Next you sprinkle flour on top of the mushroom mixture and stir for a minute.
    • Then you Add the vegetable stock and tamari. You bring the mixture to a boil, and then lower the heat and allow to simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
    • To assemble your disco fries, you place the potato wedges in a shallow dish and then drizzle on the gravy and cheese sauce. Garnish your fries with a little chopped parsley for color.
    making fries collage
    making gravy collage
    taking a fry

    Vegan disco fries are great late night snack, and they’re also the perfect accompaniment to grilled veggie burgers. Serve them for your game day viewing parties or your Netflix movie nights.

    Subscribe banner horizontal
    disco fries square

    Vegan Disco Fries

    Dianne
    Vegan Disco Fries — baked potato wedges drizzled with cashew cheese sauce and mushroom gravy — are the ultimate late night snack. They're also make for a delicious side dish.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 272 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For the Oven Fries

    • 3 large russet potatoes cut into wedges
    • 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored vegetable oil
    • 1 teaspoon garlic granules
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper

    For the Gravy

    • 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil
    • ½ cup sweet onion minced
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 10 ounces crimini or white button mushrooms chopped
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups vegetable stock
    • 1 tablespoon tamari

    For the Assembly

    • 1 cup Cashew Cheese Sauce
    • ¼ cup chopped parsley

    Instructions
     

    Make the Fries

    • Preheat your oven to 450° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Place the potato wedges in a large bowl.
    • Whisk together the oil, garlic granules, salt, and pepper, and pour the mixture over the potatoes. Toss to coat the potatoes well.
    • Place the potato wedges on the parchment paper, making sure none of the pieces overlap.
    • Bake for 25 minutes. Carefully flip the potato wedges. Bake for another 20 – 25 minutes, until the potatoes are golden brown and crisp around the edges.

    Make the Gravy

    • While the potatoes are baking, heat the oil in a large pan of medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly brown and softened.
    • Add the garlic, mushrooms, and sea salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms release their liquid, and it all evaporates.
    • Sprinkle the flour on top of the vegetables and stir for about a minute.
    • Add the vegetable stock and tamari to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then lower the heat and allow to simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.

    Assemble the Disco Fries

    • Place the potato wedges in a shallow dish or bowl. Pour the gravy over them, and then drizzle on the cashew cheese. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve hot.
    Calories: 272kcal
    Tried this recipe?Tag @diannewenz on Instagram!
    vegan disco fries overhead

    More potato recipes You might enjoy include:

    • Smashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Cream
    • Hasselback Potatoes
    • Spinach Dip Potato Skins
    • Buffalo Potato Nuggets
    • Scalloped Potatoes
    vegan scalloped potatoes close up
    « Fresh Tomato Salsa
    Vegan Snack Recipes for Game Day »

    About Dianne

    Dianne Wenz is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, and Plant-Based Chef, as well as the author of Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook.

    Subscribe banner horizontal

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jenn

      January 30, 2017 at 12:01 pm

      I've heard of this dish, but never tried it. It looks and sounds amazing! I could eat that whole bowlful!! Yum!

    2. Becky Striepe

      January 30, 2017 at 2:07 pm

      Oh my gosh, I have such fond memories of disco fries. I can't wait to make these!!

    3. Andrea

      January 30, 2017 at 7:16 pm

      I grew up in Philly and spent part of every summer in New Jersey, but alas, I haven't heard of disco fires. It's never too late to learn something new! I've been going a little crazy with fries ever since I got an air fryer, and this could take the fries, which are pretty great on their own, to the next level. Got to go soak some cashews.

    4. Sophia | Veggies Don't Bite

      January 31, 2017 at 12:39 pm

      I have never heard of disco fried either! But anything with the word disco in the title sounds amazing. LOL! I always think about how I did so many things when I was younger that there is no way I can do now! I used to party hard and go straight to an early dissection lab my senior year of college. Gross and why?! LOL

    5. Susan

      January 31, 2017 at 7:32 pm

      Potato, cheese and gravy just go so well together! These look amazing. Comfort foody goodness.

    6. Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day

      February 01, 2017 at 12:49 am

      I'm so glad you posted this recipe because I had never heard of Disco Fries! Looks so delicious.

    7. Dianne

      February 01, 2017 at 9:33 am

      Thanks, Jenn! They are pretty tasty!

    8. Dianne

      February 01, 2017 at 9:34 am

      I hope you like them, Becky!

    9. Dianne

      February 01, 2017 at 9:34 am

      I think they might be Northern NJ thing - they're really big in the diners up here. Let me know if you try the potatoes in the air fryer!

    10. Dianne

      February 01, 2017 at 9:35 am

      Haha! Who knows why we did the things we did when we were young!

    11. Dianne

      February 01, 2017 at 9:35 am

      Thank you, Susan!

    12. Dianne

      February 01, 2017 at 9:36 am

      Thank you, Amy!

    13. Mel | avirtualvegan.com

      February 02, 2017 at 12:23 am

      They look so good Dianne! I would not be sharing that bowl so I don't know what you put 2 forks there ;O)

    14. Dianne

      February 02, 2017 at 4:26 pm

      Hahah! Thanks, Mel!

    15. Linda @ Veganosity

      February 03, 2017 at 9:12 am

      Great story, and I love the name of these fries. This would be a great game day snack. Thanks!

    16. Dianne

      February 05, 2017 at 3:03 pm

      Thank you, Linda!

    17. Cadry

      February 08, 2017 at 10:51 am

      Oh, my gosh! These look SO GOOD! I'd never heard of disco fries before now, but I'm eager to become very well acquainted with them. 🙂

    18. The Vegan 8

      February 09, 2017 at 12:50 pm

      This is total comfort food to me! A big bowl of fries or potatoes and is quite often a meal for me. Loaded with sauce and it's just perfect. This looks sooo good, especially with that cheese sauce smothered on top!

    19. Dianne

      February 12, 2017 at 12:02 pm

      Thank you, Brandi!

    20. Dianne

      February 12, 2017 at 12:04 pm

      Thanks, Cadry! I think you'd get along well. 🙂

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Dianne in Kitchen

    Hi! I'm Dianne Wenz, a Board-Certified Health Vegan Health and Lifestyle Coach. I empower my clients to build new habits so they can reach their healthy living goals. I love to show others how easy it is to live a vegan lifestyle as well as how to cook deliciously easy plant-based meals. Contact me today to learn more and to schedule a complimentary breakthrough session!

    More about me →

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    The Big Book of Vegan Cooking

    Eating Vegan

    Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook by Dianne Wenz

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Meet Dianne
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Updates

    • Get Updates from Dianne

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Health Coaching
    • Partner With Me
    • FAQ

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Dianne Wenz. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission is strictly prohibited.